Breaking the Seal

Protected by his dragon scale armor, Shaun was not seriously injured by the Ten Rings.

Of course, although Wenwu’s blows looked heavy, he had still held back.

He walked step by step toward his son, who had climbed back to his feet again, and looked at him expressionlessly.

"I thought I had already made myself very clear. I do not blame you for daring to challenge me.

But if you cannot prove that you possess the qualifications, then keep standing aside as you did back then, filled with fear, and watch quietly."

"That’s impossible!"

Shaun panted twice and forced an ugly smile.

"Dad, when Mom was gone, when we needed you the most, you only cared about those metal bracelets…

You trained me to be an assassin and ignored Lingling completely. We no longer resent you for that.

But today, you have to break free from that monster’s control and come back to us!"

"So you would rather believe outsiders than help your own father?"

Wenwu’s gaze had already passed over Shaun and turned toward the massive Dragon Scale Gate in the mountains across the lake.

"It is right within reach. Are you unwilling to let me bring your mother back?"

"If you keep stubbornly going your own way!"

Shaun assumed a fighting stance once more. Remembering Oaks’ and Shenron’s words, his gaze was resolute.

"You’ll regret it!"

"Now that I’ve come this far, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t achieve my goal!"

Wenwu let out a low roar and suddenly attacked!

The Ten Rings could not only be worn around the arms to amplify strength. They could also leave the arms to launch mid-range attacks like Iron Wire Fist, or be used as long-range magical artifacts for savage distant strikes.

Once Wenwu stopped holding back, Shaun was no match for him at all.

Before long, Shaun was blasted into the water by Wenwu. After a moment of silence, Wenwu unleashed a fierce attack with the Ten Rings, soaring into the sky and landing before the Dragon Scale Gate.

"Save me… darling, come save me…"

"Soon. I’ll smash it apart right away, and we’ll go home together!"

A dark glint flashed through Wenwu’s eyes. The immense magic of the Ten Rings surged as he attacked the Dragon Scale Gate!

"Boom, boom, boom…"

The Ten Rings seemed to have a special effect on the Dragon Scale Gate. Even as they attacked it, they absorbed the Dragon Force from the scales—

The Dragon Scale Gate, which had remained unmoved for thousands of years, dimmed as its shining magical light faded. It shook, and cracks began to appear!

As the dragon scales had their magic drained by the Ten Rings, their defenses steadily weakened. Wenwu’s attacks inflicted ever greater damage. Finally, the first Soul Eater spawn broke through the gate!

"That is…"

Wenwu’s expression froze, but he abruptly turned around—

A spinning column of water had appeared behind him!

The water column swept Shaun along and deposited him before the gate!

After being knocked into the water by Wenwu, Shaun had heard the Guardian Dragon’s voice in his despair. He had comprehended the water-controlling method of Dragon Force and returned to the battlefield!

"Dad! Can’t you see what kind of monster has appeared behind the gate?!"

Although Shaun knew that the chairman and Shenron would ensure the Soul Eaters did not harm their side, the Ten Rings members were not under their protection.

"Ordinary weapons are useless against them! Your Ten Rings will soon be devoured by them!"

"…"

Wenwu watched the Soul Eater spawn continuously burst out from above the gate and fly toward the other side of the lake, his eyes filled with confusion.

But suddenly, another voice came from behind the gate!

"Save me! Save me now!"

"Haah!"

He hesitated no longer. Gathering all his strength, he slammed the Ten Rings against the gate once again!

"No!"

Amid Shaun’s furious roar, the gate trembled violently. A dark mass of Soul Eater spawn flooded out like a tidal wave, blotting out the sky as they flew toward the village across the lake!

"Rumble—!"

Shaun flashed in front of Wenwu. His Dragon Force, elevated once more, caught Wenwu off guard and blasted him away!

"Move!"

"Never!"

"Then come!"

Father and son clashed again.

But this time, Wenwu’s mind had been increasingly affected by the thing behind the gate, and he could no longer firmly suppress the once-again strengthened Shaun!

The first batch of Soul Eaters to reach the battlefield before the village had already displayed their terror, devouring the souls of several Ten Rings members.

This led the Ten Rings members, unwilling to die for nothing, to join forces with the Ta Lo villagers who could harm the Soul Eaters, using Ta Lo weapons to fight them.

Xialing’s Mist Weaver of the beast tail did not begrudge her Qi either, healing the Ten Rings members’ injuries and leaving them awestruck by their young mistress!

But there were simply too many Soul Eaters in this batch.

So the Guardian Dragon made its move.

"Rumble…"

The lake surface shook violently. The golden-glimmering water surged upward like an inverted waterfall behind the enormous dragon shadow, drowning more than half of the Soul Eater spawn in the sky at once!

"It’s the Great Guardian!"

The Ta Lo villagers were invigorated and immediately launched long-range attacks with their bows!

The Soul Eaters flew at tremendous speed, and there were still vast numbers that slipped through the net. Everyone was forced into close combat with them.

The Soul Eaters’ most dangerous method of attack was draining people’s souls, but they discovered that this technique was surprisingly ineffective against these people!

They could not even seize these mortals’ souls immediately!

It was simply unbelievable. Normally, they needed only a few seconds to drain a soul!

The people of Ta Lo and the Ten Rings had clearly noticed the problem as well—

Compared to the few Ten Rings members whose souls had been taken by the Soul Eaters earlier, they were far, far safer now.

"It’s Teacher!"

Xialing immediately discovered the reason—

At some point, the battlefield had become covered in Mystic Blue Glow Flowers.

The flowers’ radiance seemed to firmly anchor their minds and souls within their bodies. The Soul Eaters’ prideful soul-capturing method was completely restrained by these flowers!

"Whoosh!"

Everyone suddenly felt as though something had slapped them. A huge purple bear-paw mark flashed above their heads before vanishing.

They all felt their combat power strengthened in every aspect!

A red-haired young man slowly emerged from the nearby forest, followed by a massive Spirit Beast and Bird Legion!

Without exception, the spirit beasts’ eyes glowed azure. It was Oaks’ soul-protection magic.

"Go. Help everyone deal with these filthy monsters!"

At Oaks’ command, the spirit beasts and birds charged in great numbers toward the bewildered Soul Eaters.

Already invincible, their natural spiritual power could not effectively harm the Soul Eaters, just like that of their ancestors, but they could still hold them back.

And the Ta Lo villagers, who could effectively kill the Soul Eaters, only needed to strike living targets!

"Teacher!"

Xialing controlled the Jade Mist to heal everyone’s wounds. Seeing Oaks bring reinforcements, she could not help but feel energized.

"This move…"

"Mm, you can’t learn this one. It belongs to a special inheritance."

Oaks shrugged and patted her head.

"Shenron has made a move. Your brother is already fighting your father over there. I’m going to take a look… Protect this place."

"Don’t worry, Teacher!"

Xialing watched Oaks transform into an Azure Dragon and soar into the sky, then pursed her lips.

"I won’t lose to my brother!"

Before the Dragon Scale Gate, Shaun struggled to his feet once more.

Although Wenwu could no longer steadily suppress him, the monster behind the gate was increasingly clouding his mind, making his attacks more and more vicious—

No matter what, before this, he had been fighting his son. He had held back to some degree.

But now, he was fighting with the force he would use against a sworn enemy!

"Bzzzt—"

The Ten Rings connected into a line and lashed fiercely at Shaun like a Plasma Whip in Wenwu’s hand!

"Rumble—"

But after being beaten through so many rounds, Shaun had not made no progress—

Under his father’s relentless battering, he had come infinitely close to the threshold where heart, body, and skill fused in perfect harmony!

Dragon Force erupted, and Shaun blasted the Ten Rings away in one strike!

Looking at the Ten Rings scattered across the ground, which did not immediately respond to his command to return, the voice echoed in Wenwu’s mind again.

He took a step forward, staring at his son with an agitated expression.

"I have to save her! She’s calling for me!"

"I hope it’s true too."

Shaun let out a deep sigh and pointed to the gate behind him.

"Dad, take a good look… What exactly is in there!"

As the battle continued, the sealing power of the Dragon Scale Gate grew weaker and weaker.

And now, even Shaun could hear the voice behind the gate!

"Let me out! Let me out now!"

How he wished it truly was his mother’s voice!

"Boom, boom, boom…"

The Soul Eater itself no longer needed the Ten Rings’ help. From within, it battered the gate, whose seal had nearly been completely destroyed!

"Rumble—!!"

Finally, under the complicated gazes of Wenwu and Shaun, father and son, the gate was smashed open.

When the hideous Soul Eater charged out of the gate roaring in his wife’s voice, Wenwu’s face turned deathly pale, as though his soul had been torn out of him.

"This is the truth, Dad."

Shaun had already seen the Azure Dragon Oaks had transformed into take over the Guardian Dragon’s work above the middle of the lake, clearing out the Soul Eater spawn. The Guardian Dragon immediately flew toward them!

"Roar—!!"

But the Soul Eater gave the father and son no time to speak. It too had seen the arrival of its mortal enemy, the Guardian Dragon.

Having just broken out of the seal, it desperately needed souls to recover. For some reason, aside from the initial wave, its spawn seemed unable to bring back even a single soul!

And the nearest place had two high-quality souls!

"Boom!"

"Dad!"

By the time Shaun came to his senses, his father had already knocked him flying.

Wenwu, who had shoved his son aside, was tightly bound by the Soul Eater’s tentacles. It was draining his soul!

Perhaps because Wenwu’s soul was exceptionally powerful, the process was a little slower.

Then a thunderclap exploded in Shaun’s mind.

Dragon Force erupted. In an instant, the Ten Rings scattered across the ground completely changed. Golden Dragon Force wound around them, replacing the blue plasma mode they had taken on in Wenwu’s hands.

Amid Shaun’s roar, the Ten Rings shot into the sky and severed the Soul Eater’s tentacle binding Wenwu in a single blow!